On Monday, the White House says "Venezuelan officials past and present who violate the human rights of Venezuelan citizens and engage in acts of public corruption will not be welcome here, and we now have the tools to block their assets and their use of US financial systems."

Even the Israeli prime minister's usual supporters — and much of the Israeli public — question Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to address Congress on March 3 without an invitation from President Obama. The address, at the request of House Speaker John Boehner, comes two weeks before Israeli elections. Is Bibi being savvy, or playing the pawn?

President Barack Obama’s December 17 announcement that he would begin normalizing relations with Cuba sparked hot debate on both sides of the Florida Strait. It also began a political process that won’t end until a highly fractious Congress can agree on new legislation, not likely to happen any time soon. Among other obstacles is the long-questioned human rights record of the Castro regime. Independent watchdog organization Freedom House says Cuba falls just shy of its “worst of the worst list” for denying its citizens political rights and civil liberties.

A group of US university professors and human rights activists have written a letter to the Saudi ambassador to the US, asking him to stop the flagging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. If that's not possible, they say they're ready to take the lashes instead.

"There's a palpable excitement here," says author Peter Kornbluh from Havana, as word broke of US-Cuban talks to normalize relations. "This is a new dawn ... and I think everybody here has realized that almost immediately."

The rise of ISIS is connected to Jordan. The Israeli-Palestinian crisis plays out in the shadow of Jordan. The Syrian civil war and it's ensuing refugee crisis are taking a heavy toll on Jordan. Even the Iranian nuclear talks has a connection to Jordan. So, why Jordan, a landlocked country with few natural resources but tremendous importance for American foreign policy, at the middle of it all.

The United States was among the first foreign nations to move in to help the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan's devastation. The US has long had close, though not always happy, ties with the island nation.

Even the Israeli prime minister's usual supporters — and much of the Israeli public — question Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to address Congress on March 3 without an invitation from President Obama. The address, at the request of House Speaker John Boehner, comes two weeks before Israeli elections. Is Bibi being savvy, or playing the pawn?

"There's a palpable excitement here," says author Peter Kornbluh from Havana, as word broke of US-Cuban talks to normalize relations. "This is a new dawn ... and I think everybody here has realized that almost immediately."

The Dutch have the oldest and largest Obama fan club in Europe, according to an analyst there. The reason? He stands for diversity and cooperation with Europe —and the Dutch get his problems with the Tea Party.

A group of US university professors and human rights activists have written a letter to the Saudi ambassador to the US, asking him to stop the flagging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. If that's not possible, they say they're ready to take the lashes instead.

In the 1970s after Watergate, the Senate held hearings that showed the NSA had been spying on citizens. And Congress enacted laws to control it. Journalist Tim Weiner says that's the type of openness the US needs now.

"There's a palpable excitement here," says author Peter Kornbluh from Havana, as word broke of US-Cuban talks to normalize relations. "This is a new dawn ... and I think everybody here has realized that almost immediately."

A group of US university professors and human rights activists have written a letter to the Saudi ambassador to the US, asking him to stop the flagging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. If that's not possible, they say they're ready to take the lashes instead.

Unaccompanied minors continue to stream across the US-Mexico border, fleeing violence, and they are being held at detention centers. In the US, a debate is raging over whether this is a humanitarian issue about taking care of needy children or a border security and immigration problem to be solved.

Even the Israeli prime minister's usual supporters — and much of the Israeli public — question Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to address Congress on March 3 without an invitation from President Obama. The address, at the request of House Speaker John Boehner, comes two weeks before Israeli elections. Is Bibi being savvy, or playing the pawn?

Some Americans blame President Obama for the flood of Central American children who have crossed into the US this year. They believe his policy sends a message of leniency that is attracting them. But a reporter who just returned from Guatemala and El Salvador says most are simply fleeing violence, and don't have any clue about US policy.

The Dutch have the oldest and largest Obama fan club in Europe, according to an analyst there. The reason? He stands for diversity and cooperation with Europe —and the Dutch get his problems with the Tea Party.

The United States was among the first foreign nations to move in to help the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan's devastation. The US has long had close, though not always happy, ties with the island nation.